Researchers in Sweden have found a possible link between tattoos and cancer in the lymphatic system, known as lymphoma. It is a type of leukemia that affects the immune system.
The Lind University researchers wanted to investigate the relationship between tattoos and long-term health effects, as academic knowledge in this area is weak.
doctor. Christel Nielsen, who led the study, said: “It is important to remember that lymphoma is a rare disease and that our findings apply at a group level. The results now need to be verified and investigated further in other studies, and this research is underway.”
The researchers looked at 11,905 people. Of these, 2,938 people, aged between 20 and 60, had lymphoma.
Of these participants, 54% answered the tattoo questionnaire, and 47% of the control group, which did not have lymphoma, did the same.
In the group with lymphoma, 21% (289 people) had a tattoo, compared to 18% in the control group without a diagnosis of lymphoma (735 people).
After looking at other factors such as smoking and age, the researchers found that the risk of lymphoma was 21% higher among those who had tattoos.
The researchers also found that the size of the tattoo does not matter, so having a full-body tattoo does not increase the risk any more than smaller tattoos.
The most common cancer subtypes were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (28%), Hodgkin lymphoma (21%), and follicular lymphoma (18%). The average age of people diagnosed ranged from 51 to 57 years. However, the average age of those with Hodgkin lymphoma was 36 years.
However, researchers are not sure why this is. doctor. “One can only speculate that tattoos, regardless of their size, cause mild inflammation in the body, which in turn can cause cancer,” Nielsen said. “So the picture is more complex than we initially thought,” he added.
“We already know that when tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the body interprets it as something foreign that should not be there and the immune system is activated. A significant portion of the ink is transported from the skin to the lymph nodes, where it is deposited,” notes the researcher.
Tattooing has gained popularity across Europe, with prevalence rates reaching around 30-40% of adults under the age of 40. According to a study published in 2023, Spain ranks sixth in the field of tattoos in the world, according to data provided by the sector. However, 60% regret it and end up deleting it five years after doing so.
The researchers said more research is needed to investigate any other links between tattoos and other types of cancer, and what the underlying cause is.
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